{"id":80152,"date":"2025-08-18T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/?p=80152"},"modified":"2025-08-18T12:00:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T11:00:08","slug":"child-centred-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/child-centred-approach\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Child Centred Approach?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Safeguarding is fundamental to keeping children safe and all those who work with children must be aware of their role and responsibilities. A child centred approach to safeguarding is integral to supporting a child\u2019s welfare. This approach ensures that a child\u2019s views are heard and their opinions respected so that any action taken is in their best interests. In this article we will outline everything you need to know about a child centred approach to safeguarding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is a Child Centred Approach?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, a child centred approach means putting the child at the centre of any decision making about their lives. A child centred approach encourages practitioners to focus on the needs of the child and to work in partnership with them and their families to support a happy and healthy future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In UK law a child centred approach is supported by the following acts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n The Children Act 1989 \"drop\n <\/h3>\n
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This <\/span>act<\/span><\/a> requires local authorities to give due consideration to a child\u2019s wishes when determining what services to provide under <\/span>Section 17<\/span><\/a> and before making decisions about action to be taken to protect individual children under <\/span>Section 47<\/span><\/a>. These duties complement requirements relating to the wishes and feelings of children who are, or may be, looked after (<\/span>Section 22(4)<\/span><\/a>), including those who are provided with accommodation under <\/span>Section 20<\/span><\/a> and children taken into police protection (<\/span>Section 46 (3)(d)<\/span><\/a>). <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n The Equality Act 2010 \"drop\n <\/h3>\n
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This <\/span>act<\/span><\/a> puts a responsibility on public authorities to have a regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity. This applies to the process of identification of need and risk faced by the individual child and the process of assessment. No child or group of children must be treated any less favourably than others in being able to access effective services which meet their particular needs. To comply with the <\/span>Equality Act 2010<\/span><\/a>, safeguarding partners must assess and where appropriate put in place measures ahead of time to support all children and families to access services, overcoming any barriers they may face due to a particular protected characteristic. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) \"drop\n <\/h3>\n
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This is an <\/span>international agreement<\/span><\/a> that protects the rights of children and provides a child-centred framework for the development of services to children. The UK ratified the UNCRC in 1991 and recognises children\u2019s rights including expression and receiving information. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 \"drop\n <\/h3>\n
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This <\/span>act<\/span><\/a> recognises that a <\/span>child is a victim of domestic abuse<\/span><\/a> in their own right if they see, hear or experience the effects of domestic abuse, are related to either the victim or perpetrator of the abuse, or the victim or perpetrator has parental responsibility for the child. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n The Children\u2019s Social Care National Framework 2023 \"drop\n <\/h3>\n
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This <\/span>statutory guidance<\/span><\/a> sets out the purpose of children\u2019s social care as existing to support children and families, to protect children by intervening decisively when they are at risk of harm and to provide care for those who need it, so they grow up and thrive with safety, stability and love. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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Importance of a Child Centred Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A child centred approach is important as it centralises the needs and wishes of children. In safeguarding situations the priority is, rightly so, ensuring the safety of a child. However, in doing so, the wishes and needs of a child can be inadvertently ignored or dismissed because of their age, lack of understanding or proximity to the situation. Children, unlike adults, do not necessarily have the life experience or perspective to make decisions that are in their best interest. Therefore, in these instances those with safeguarding responsibilities must intervene to act in a child\u2019s best interest. However, that does not mean that a child should not have any input on decisions that are made about their life. A child centred approach respects a child\u2019s autonomy, protects their independence and reaffirms the importance of their individual opinions. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The government\u2019s Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023<\/a> guidance notes that a child centred approach is fundamental to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child. The guidance continues that children have been clear about what they want from an effective safeguarding system. This includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n